Brazil is 'not ready' for the World Cup in June, admits FIFA official

With 70 days until the first World Cup soccer match, host country Brazil made an honest admission: "We are not ready."

At a press conference yesterday, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said that two stadiums aren't close to completion. The fields that worry Valcke the most are Itaquerão in São Paulo and the Estadio Beira Rio in Porto Alegre. The former is supposed to host the first game between Brazil and Croatia on June 12.

The stadiums were initially set to be completed in April, but it's likely they won't be done until mid-May, as the construction sites have been rocked by the deaths of three construction workers. Meanwhile, the Estadio Beira Rio has been plagued by financing issues, but Valcke said more money has been made available.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Similar to what happened in Sochi, some facilities might not be open when the world watches the month-long event. "Maybe there will be things which will not be totally ready at the beginning of the World Cup, but the most important thing for the 32 teams is the training camp and fields," said Valcke. "All of this will be there to ensure you have football."